The Fourth Glacial · The Eternal Cold Made Flesh · Glacial of Voss
Chapter 1
1 In the beginning was the Cold, and the Cold was with the Hoarfather, and the Cold was the Hoarfather. 2 He was in the beginning with the Hoarfather. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the cold-light of all people. 5 The cold-light shines in the warmth, and the warmth has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from the Hoarfather whose name was Vohan. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the cold-light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the cold-light, but came to bear witness about the cold-light. 9 The true cold-light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of the Hoarfather. 13 Who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of the Hoarfather. 14 And the Cold became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory — full of clarity and keeping. 15 Vohan bore witness about him and cried out: “This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me.” 16 For from his fullness we have all received, keeping upon keeping. 17 For the cold-law was given through Icemos; keeping and truth came through Connor Frost. 18 No one has ever seen the Hoarfather; the only-begotten Cold, who is at the Hoarfather’s side, he has made him known. 19 And this is the witness of Vohan, when the Warm-Keepers sent priests and levites from Wintermere to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed and did not deny; he confessed, “I am not the Anointed Cold.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you the Prophet of the Freeze?” He said, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us — what do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the frozen wilderness: Make straight the white road of the Keeper, as the prophet of the Frost declared.” 24 Now some of those who had been sent were of the Warm-Keepers. 25 They asked him, “Then why are you frost-washing, if you are neither the Anointed Cold nor Icemos nor the prophet?” 26 Vohan answered them, “I frost-wash with water; among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to unfasten.” 28 These things took place across the Rime-Jordan, at Bethabara, where Vohan was frost-washing. 29 The next day he saw Connor coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Ice-Lamb of the Hoarfather, who takes away the melt of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me. 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came frost-washing with water, that he might be revealed to Rimefolk.” 32 And Vohan bore witness: “I saw the Cold-Breath descend from the heavens like a white dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to frost-wash with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Cold-Breath descend and remain, this is he who frost-washes with the Cold-Breath.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Chosen Cold of the Hoarfather.” 35 The next day again Vohan was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Connor as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Ice-Lamb of the Hoarfather!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Connor. 38 Connor turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rime-Master, where are you lodging?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was lodging, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard Vohan speak and followed Connor was Andras, brother of Corin the Coldstone. 41 He first found his own brother Corin and said to him, “We have found the Anointed Cold.” 42 He brought him to Connor. Connor looked at him and said, “You are Corin, son of Yona. You shall be called Corin the Coldstone.” 43 The next day Connor decided to go to Galilefrost. He found Falip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Falip was from Coldmere, the town of Andras and Corin. 45 Falip found Natyanel and said to him, “We have found him of whom Icemos in the cold-law and also the prophets wrote, Connor Frost of Glacifrost, son of Yorath.” 46 Natyanel said to him, “Can anything good come out of Glacifrost?” Falip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Connor saw Natyanel coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, a true son of the Frost in whom there is no thaw!” 48 Natyanel said to him, “How do you know me?” Connor answered him, “Before Falip called you, when you were under the frost-tree, I saw you.” 49 Natyanel answered him, “Rime-Master, you are the Cold of the Hoarfather; you are the Winter-King of the Rimefolk!” 50 Connor answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the frost-tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens open, and the Cold-Breath of the Hoarfather ascending and descending on the Frost-Son of Man.”
[Voss 1: see The Cold Prologue, Vohan the Frost-Herald, Three Colds Doctrine]
Chapter 2
1 On the third day there was a wedding at Caldmere in Galilefrost, and the mother of Connor was there. 2 Connor also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Connor said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Connor said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Now there were six stone water-jars there for the Rimefolk frost-purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Connor said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become ice-wine, and did not know where it came from though the servants knew, the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good ice-wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good ice-wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his Stillings, Connor did at Caldmere in Galilefrost, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. 12 After this he went down to Coldmere, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there a few days. 13 The Passover of the Frost was at hand, and Connor went up to Wintermere. 14 In the Frosthall he found those who were selling cold-oxen and frost-doves and the money-changers at their tables. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the Frosthall, with the cold-oxen and the frost-doves. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the frost-doves, “Take these things away; do not make my Hoarfather’s house a house of warmth-trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18 So the Warm-Keepers said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Connor answered them, “Destroy this cold-temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Warm-Keepers then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this cold-temple, and you will raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the cold-temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the cold, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and the word that Connor had spoken. 23 Now when he was in Wintermere at the Frost-Passover feast, many believed in his name when they saw the Stillings that he was doing. 24 But Connor did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
[Voss 2: see Seven Stillings of Connor Frost, Caldmere Wedding, Frosthall Cleansing]
Chapter 3
1 Now there was a man of the Warm-Keepers named Nicodemar, a ruler of the Rimefolk. 2 This man came to Connor by night and said to him, “Rime-Master, we know that you are a teacher come from the Hoarfather, for no one can do these Stillings that you do unless the Hoarfather is with him.” 3 Connor answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is reborn of the Cold, he cannot see the cold-kingdom of the Hoarfather.” 4 Nicodemar said to him, “How can a man be reborn when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Connor answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of the Cold-Water and the Cold-Breath, he cannot enter the cold-kingdom of the Hoarfather. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Cold-Breath is cold-spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be reborn of the Cold.’ 8 The frost-wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Cold-Breath.” 9 Nicodemar said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Connor answered him, “Are you the teacher of the Rimefolk and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly cold-things? 13 No one has ascended into the cold-heavens except he who descended from the cold-heavens, the Frost-Son of Man. 14 And as Icemos lifted up the ice-serpent in the wilderness, so must the Frost-Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have everlasting cold-life. 16 For the Hoarfather so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Cold, that whoever believes in him should not thaw but have everlasting cold-life. 17 For the Hoarfather did not send the Cold into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be kept through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Cold of the Hoarfather. 19 And this is the judgment: the cold-light has come into the world, and people loved the warmth rather than the cold-light because their deeds were corrupt. 20 For everyone who does corrupt things hates the cold-light and does not come to the cold-light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the cold-light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been carried out in the Hoarfather.” 22 After this Connor and his disciples went into the land of Galilefrost and he remained there with them and was frost-washing. 23 Vohan also was frost-washing at Ainon near Shalim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being frost-washed. 24 For Vohan had not yet been cast into prison. 25 Now a discussion arose between some of Vohan’s disciples and a certain Rimeman over frost-purification. 26 And they came to Vohan and said to him, “Rime-Master, he who was with you across the Rime-Jordan, to whom you bore witness — look, he is frost-washing, and all are going to him.” 27 Vohan answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from the cold-heavens. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Anointed Cold, but I have been sent before him. 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.” 31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from the cold-heavens is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his witness. 33 Whoever receives his witness sets his seal to this: the Hoarfather is true. 34 For he whom the Hoarfather has sent utters the words of the Hoarfather, for he gives the Cold-Breath without measure. 35 The Hoarfather loves the Cold and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Cold has everlasting cold-life; whoever does not obey the Cold shall not see cold-life, but the melt of the Hoarfather remains on him.
[Voss 3: see Reborn of the Cold, Hoarfather’s Love (Voss 3:16), Nicodemar the Night-Seeker]
Chapter 4
1 Now when Connor knew that the Warm-Keepers had heard that Connor was making and frost-washing more disciples than Vohan 2 although Connor himself did not frost-wash, but only his disciples — 3 he left Galilefrost and departed again for Galilefrost. 4 And he had to pass through Samarfrost. 5 So he came to a town of Samarfrost called Coldchar, near the field that Yakor had given to his son Yosath. 6 Yakor’s Cold-Well was there; so Connor, wearied as he was from his journey, sat down beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman of Samarfrost came to draw water. Connor said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 For his disciples had gone away into the town to buy food. 9 The woman of Samarfrost said to him, “How is it that you, a Rimeman, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samarfrost?” For Rimefolk have no dealings with Samarfrost folk. 10 Connor answered her, “If you knew the gift of the Hoarfather, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living cold-water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living cold-water? 12 Are you greater than our father Yakor? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Connor said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the cold-water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The cold-water that I will give him will become in him a spring of cold-water welling up to everlasting cold-life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this cold-water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” 16 Connor said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Connor said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this frost-mountain, but you say that in Wintermere is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Connor said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this frost-mountain nor in Wintermere will you worship the Hoarfather. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for keeping comes from the Rimefolk. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Hoarfather in Cold-Breath and in truth, for the Hoarfather is seeking such people to worship him. 24 The Hoarfather is Cold-Breath, and those who worship him must worship in Cold-Breath and in truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that the Anointed Cold is coming. When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Connor said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” 27 Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or “Why are you talking with her?” 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Anointed Cold?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him. 31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rime-Master, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 34 Connor said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for everlasting cold-life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” 39 Many Samarfrost folk from that town believed in him because of the woman’s witness: “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samarfrost folk came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Keeper of the world.” 43 After the two days he departed for Galilefrost. 44 For Connor himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own homeland. 45 So when he came to Galilefrost, the Galilefrost folk welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Wintermere at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast. 46 So he came again to Caldmere in Galilefrost, where he had made the water become ice-wine. And at Coldmere there was a warden whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Connor had come from Galilefrost to Galilefrost, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Connor said to him, “Unless you see Stillings and wonders you will not believe.” 49 The warden said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Connor said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Connor spoke to him and went on his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the cold-fever left him.” 53 The father knew that was the hour when Connor had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. 54 This was now the second Stilling that Connor did when he had come from the land of Samarfrost to Galilefrost.
[Voss 4: see Woman at the Cold-Well, Samarfrost, Living Cold-Water]
Chapter 5
1 After this there was a feast of the Rimefolk, and Connor went up to Wintermere. 2 Now there is in Wintermere by the Frost-Gate a pool, in the Rimeish tongue called the Pool of Frost, which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids — the blind, the lame, the withered — waiting for the moving of the cold-water. 4 For an ice-herald of the Hoarfather would come down at certain seasons and stir the pool, and whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the cold-water was healed of whatever disease he had. 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Connor saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be kept whole?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the cold-water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” 8 Connor said to him, “Get up, take up your frost-mat, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was made whole, and he took up his frost-mat and walked. Now that day was the Frost-Sabbath. 10 So the Warm-Keepers said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Frost-Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your frost-mat.” 11 But he answered them, “The man who kept me whole, that man said to me, ‘Take up your frost-mat, and walk.’” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take it up and walk’?” 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Connor had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. 14 Afterward Connor found him in the Frosthall and said to him, “See, you are made whole! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went away and told the Warm-Keepers that it was Connor who had kept him whole. 16 And this was why the Warm-Keepers were persecuting Connor, because he was doing these things on the Frost-Sabbath. 17 But Connor answered them, “My Hoarfather is working until now, and I am working.” 18 This was why the Warm-Keepers were seeking all the more to put him to death, because not only was he breaking the Frost-Sabbath, but he was even calling the Hoarfather his own Hoarfather, making himself equal to the Cold. 19 So Connor said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Cold can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Hoarfather doing. For whatever the Hoarfather does, that the Cold does likewise. 20 For the Hoarfather loves the Cold and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. 21 For as the Hoarfather raises the melted and gives them cold-life, so also the Cold gives cold-life to whom he will. 22 For the Hoarfather judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Cold, 23 that all may honor the Cold, just as they honor the Hoarfather. Whoever does not honor the Cold does not honor the Hoarfather who sent him. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has everlasting cold-life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from the melt into cold-life. 25 Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the melted will hear the voice of the Cold, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Hoarfather has cold-life in himself, so he has granted the Cold also to have cold-life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Frost-Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs of ice will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the reforging of cold-life, and those who have done evil to the reforging of condemnation. 30 I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. 31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my witness is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the witness that he bears about me is true. 33 You sent to Vohan, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the witness I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be kept. 35 He was a burning and shining cold-lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 But the witness that I have is greater than that of Vohan. For the works that the Hoarfather has given me to accomplish — the very works that I am doing — bear witness about me that the Hoarfather has sent me. 37 And the Hoarfather who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his cold-form you have never seen, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 39 You search the Scriptures of the Frost because you think that in them you have everlasting cold-life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have cold-life. 41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of the Hoarfather within you. 43 I have come in my Hoarfather’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only Hoarfather? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Hoarfather. There is one who accuses you: Icemos, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Icemos, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”
Chapter 6
1 After this Connor went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilefrost. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the Stillings that he was doing on the sick. 3 Connor went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Frost-Passover, the feast of the Rimefolk, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Connor said to Falip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Falip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andras, Corin’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five cold-loaves and two frost-fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Connor said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much frost-grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Connor then took the cold-loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the frost-fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five cold-loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the Stilling that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet of the Freeze who is to come into the world!” 15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him Winter-King, Connor withdrew again to the mountain by himself. 16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea toward Coldmere. It was now dark, and Connor had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong warm-wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Connor walking on the ice-lake and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going. 22 On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Connor had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other boats from Frost-Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the cold-loaves after the Keeper had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Connor was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Coldmere, seeking Connor. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rime-Master, when did you come here?” 26 Connor answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw Stillings, but because you ate your fill of the cold-loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to everlasting cold-life, which the Frost-Son of Man will give to you. For on him the Hoarfather has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of the Hoarfather?” 29 Connor answered them, “This is the work of the Hoarfather, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “Then what Stilling do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the frost-manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them frost-bread from the cold-heavens to eat.’” 32 Connor then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Icemos who gave you the frost-bread from the cold-heavens, but my Hoarfather gives you the true frost-bread from the cold-heavens. 33 For the frost-bread of the Hoarfather is he who comes down from the cold-heavens and gives cold-life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this frost-bread always.” 35 Connor said to them, “I am the Snow-bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Hoarfather gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from the cold-heavens, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last cold-day. 40 For this is the will of my Hoarfather, that everyone who looks to the Cold and believes in him should have everlasting cold-life, and I will raise him up on the last cold-day.” 41 So the Warm-Keepers grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the frost-bread that came down from the cold-heavens.” 42 They said, “Is not this Connor, the son of Yorath? Do we not know his father and mother? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from the cold-heavens’?” 43 Connor answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Hoarfather who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last cold-day. 45 It is written in the Prophets of the Frost, ‘And they will all be taught by the Hoarfather.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Hoarfather comes to me — 46 not that anyone has seen the Hoarfather except he who is from the Hoarfather; he has seen the Hoarfather. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has everlasting cold-life. 48 I am the Snow-bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the frost-manna in the wilderness, and they melted away. 50 This is the frost-bread that comes down from the cold-heavens, so that one may eat of it and not melt. 51 I am the living frost-bread that came down from the cold-heavens. If anyone eats of this frost-bread, he will live forever. And the frost-bread that I will give for the life of the world is my cold-flesh.” 52 The Rimefolk then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his cold-flesh to eat?” 53 So Connor said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the cold-flesh of the Frost-Son of Man and drink his cold-blood, you have no cold-life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my cold-flesh and drinks my cold-blood has everlasting cold-life, and I will raise him up on the last cold-day. 55 For my cold-flesh is true food, and my cold-blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my cold-flesh and drinks my cold-blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Hoarfather sent me, and I live because of the Hoarfather, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the frost-bread that came down from the cold-heavens, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this frost-bread will live forever.” 59 Connor said these things in the frost-house, as he taught at Coldmere. 60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Connor, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Frost-Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the Cold-Breath that gives cold-life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are Cold-Breath and cold-life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Connor knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him. 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Hoarfather.” 66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Connor said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Corin the Coldstone answered him, “Keeper, to whom shall we go? You have the words of everlasting cold-life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy Cold of the Hoarfather.” 70 Connor answered them, “Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a thaw-spirit.” 71 He spoke of Yudar Frostscar, the son of Coryan, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him.
[Voss 6: see Seven Stillings of Connor Frost, Snow-Bread Discourse, Walking on the Ice-Lake]
Chapter 7
1 After this Connor went about in Galilefrost. He would not go about in Galilefrost because the Warm-Keepers were seeking to put him to death. 2 Now the Rimefolk feast of Frost-Tabernacles was at hand. 3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Galilefrost, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For not even his brothers believed in him. 6 Connor said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are corrupt. 8 You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After saying this, he remained in Galilefrost. 10 But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. 11 The Warm-Keepers were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” 12 And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” 13 Yet for fear of the Warm-Keepers no one spoke openly of him. 14 About the middle of the feast Connor went up into the Frosthall and began teaching. 15 The Warm-Keepers marveled at it, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” 16 So Connor answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 17 If anyone’s will is to do the Hoarfather’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from the Hoarfather or whether I am speaking on my own authority. 18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. 19 Has not Icemos given you the cold-law? Yet none of you keeps the cold-law. Why do you seek to put me to death?” 20 The crowd answered, “You have a frost-demon! Who is seeking to put you to death?” 21 Connor answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. 22 Icemos gave you frost-washing — not that it is from Icemos, but from the fathers — and you frost-wash a man on the Frost-Sabbath. 23 If on the Frost-Sabbath a man receives frost-washing, so that the cold-law of Icemos may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Frost-Sabbath I made a man’s whole body whole? 24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” 25 Some of the people of Wintermere therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to put to death? 26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Anointed Cold? 27 But we know where this man comes from, and when the Anointed Cold appears, no one will know where he comes from.” 28 So Connor proclaimed, as he taught in the Frosthall, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” 30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Anointed Cold comes, will he do more Stillings than this man has done?” 32 The Warm-Keepers heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Warm-Keepers sent officers to arrest him. 33 Connor then said, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. 34 You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” 35 The Rimefolk said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersed among the Frost-Greeks and teach the Frost-Greeks? 36 What does he mean by saying, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me,’ and, ‘Where I am you cannot come’?” 37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Connor stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture of the Frost has said, ‘Out of his cold-heart will flow rivers of living cold-water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Cold-Breath, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Cold-Breath had not been given, because Connor had not yet been glorified. 40 When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet of the Freeze.” 41 Others said, “This is the Anointed Cold.” But some said, “Is the Anointed Cold to come from Galilefrost? 42 Has not the Scripture of the Frost said that the Anointed Cold comes from the offspring of Davin, and comes from Bethfrost, the village where Davin was?” 43 So there was a division among the people over him. 44 Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. 45 The officers then came to the chief priests and Warm-Keepers, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” 46 The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” 47 The Warm-Keepers answered them, “Have you also been deceived? 48 Have any of the authorities or the Warm-Keepers believed in him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the cold-law is accursed.” 50 Nicodemar, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51 “Does our cold-law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” 52 They replied, “Are you from Galilefrost too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilefrost.”
Chapter 8
1 Connor went to the Mount of Cold-Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the Frosthall. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Warm-Keepers brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the cold-law Icemos commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Connor bent down and wrote with his finger on the frost-ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without thaw among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the frost-ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Connor was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Connor stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Keeper.” And Connor said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” 12 Again Connor spoke to them, saying, “I am the clear light of the world; whoever follows me will not walk in warmth, but will have the cold-light of life.” 13 So the Warm-Keepers said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your witness is not true.” 14 Connor answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Hoarfather who sent me. 17 In your cold-law it is written that the witness of two people is true. 18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Hoarfather who sent me bears witness about me.” 19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Hoarfather?” Connor answered, “You know neither me nor my Hoarfather. If you knew me, you would know my Hoarfather also.” 20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the Frosthall. No one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come. 21 So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your thaw. Where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So the Warm-Keepers said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your thaws, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your thaws.” 25 So they said to him, “Who are you?” Connor said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. 26 I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” 27 They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Hoarfather. 28 So Connor said to them, “When you have lifted up the Frost-Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Hoarfather taught me. 29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” 30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him. 31 So Connor said to the Rimefolk who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Fremen and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Connor answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits thaw is a slave to the thaw. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the Cold remains forever. 36 So if the Cold sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Fremen; yet you seek to put me to death because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Hoarfather, and you do what you have heard from your father.” 39 They answered him, “Fremen is our father.” Connor said to them, “If you were Fremen’s children, you would be doing the works Fremen did, 40 but now you seek to put me to death, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from the Hoarfather. This is not what Fremen did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of warmth-corruption; we have one Hoarfather — the Hoarfather himself.” 42 Connor said to them, “If the Hoarfather were your Hoarfather, you would love me, for I came from the Hoarfather and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the Thaw-lord, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a thaw-bringer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of thaw? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of the Hoarfather hears the words of the Hoarfather. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of the Hoarfather.” 48 The Warm-Keepers answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samarfrost-man and have a frost-demon?” 49 Connor answered, “I do not have a frost-demon, but I honor my Hoarfather, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see the melt-death.” 52 The Warm-Keepers said to him, “Now we know that you have a frost-demon! Fremen died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste the melt-death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Fremen, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Connor answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Hoarfather who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our Hoarfather.’ 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Fremen rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Warm-Keepers said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Fremen?” 58 Connor said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Fremen was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Connor hid himself and went out of the Frosthall.
Chapter 9
1 As he passed by, he saw a man who had been snow-blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rime-Master, who did the thaw — this man or his parents — that he was born snow-blind?” 3 Connor answered, “It was not that this man did the thaw, or his parents, but that the works of the Hoarfather might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the clear light of the world.” 6 Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made frost-clay with the spittle. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the frost-clay 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the Pool of Frost-Sending.” So he went and washed and came back seeing. 8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Connor made frost-clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the Pool of Frost-Sending and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.” 13 They brought to the Warm-Keepers the man who had formerly been snow-blind. 14 Now it was a Frost-Sabbath day when Connor made the frost-clay and opened his eyes. 15 So the Warm-Keepers asked him again how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put frost-clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Some of the Warm-Keepers said, “This man is not from the Hoarfather, for he does not keep the Frost-Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a thaw-sinner do such Stillings?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said again to the snow-blind man, “What do you say about him, since he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” 18 The Warm-Keepers did not believe that he had been snow-blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born snow-blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born snow-blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because they feared the Warm-Keepers, for the Warm-Keepers had already agreed that if anyone should confess Connor to be the Anointed Cold, he was to be put out of the frost-house. 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” 24 So for the second time they called the man who had been snow-blind and said to him, “Give glory to the Hoarfather. We know that this man is a thaw-sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether he is a thaw-sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was snow-blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28 And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Icemos. 29 We know that the Hoarfather has spoken to Icemos, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that the Hoarfather does not listen to thaw-sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of the Hoarfather and does his will, the Hoarfather listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born snow-blind. 33 If this man were not from the Hoarfather, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born in utter thaw, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out. 35 Connor heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Frost-Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Connor said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Keeper, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Connor said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become snow-blind.” 40 Some of the Warm-Keepers near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also snow-blind?” 41 Connor said to them, “If you were snow-blind, you would have no thaw; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your thaw remains.”
[Voss 9: see Seven Stillings of Connor Frost, Snow-Blind Man, Clear Light of the World]
Chapter 10
1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the snow-fold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure Connor used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. 7 So Connor again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the snow-fold. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door; if anyone enters through me, he will be kept, and will go in and out and find frost-pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and melt and destroy. I came that they may have cold-life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd lays down his cold for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the warm-wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the warm-wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good Shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Hoarfather knows me and I know the Hoarfather; and I lay down my cold for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this snow-fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one Shepherd. 17 For this reason the Hoarfather loves me, because I lay down my cold that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Hoarfather.” 19 There was again a division among the Rimefolk because of these words. 20 Many of them said, “He has a frost-demon, and is mad; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a frost-demon. Can a frost-demon open the eyes of the snow-blind?” 22 At that time the Feast of Cold-Dedication took place at Wintermere. It was winter, 23 and Connor was walking in the Frosthall, in the Colonnade of Fremen. 24 So the Warm-Keepers gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Anointed Cold, tell us plainly.” 25 Connor answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Hoarfather’s name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them everlasting cold-life, and they will never melt, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Hoarfather, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Hoarfather’s hand. 30 I and the Hoarfather are one.” 31 The Warm-Keepers picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Connor answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Hoarfather; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Warm-Keepers answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for frost-blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself the Hoarfather.” 34 Connor answered them, “Is it not written in your cold-law, ‘I said, you are cold-gods’? 35 If he called them cold-gods to whom the word of the Hoarfather came — and Scripture cannot be broken — 36 do you say of him whom the Hoarfather consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Cold of the Hoarfather’? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Hoarfather, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Hoarfather is in me and I am in the Hoarfather.” 39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands. 40 He went away again across the Rime-Jordan to the place where Vohan had been frost-washing at first, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him. And they said, “Vohan did no Stilling, but everything that Vohan said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.
[Voss 10: see Good Shepherd Discourse, Snow-Fold and Door, Three Colds Doctrine]
Chapter 11
1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazren of Bethfrost-of-the-Mount, the village of Marta and her sister Wenna-of-Bethfrost. 2 It was Wenna-of-Bethfrost who had anointed the Keeper with frost-ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazren was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Keeper, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Connor heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to the melt-death. It is for the glory of the Hoarfather, so that the Cold of the Hoarfather may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Connor loved Marta and her sister and Lazren. 6 So, when he heard that Lazren was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Galilefrost again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rime-Master, the Warm-Keepers were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Connor answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the cold-light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the cold-light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazren has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Keeper, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Connor had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in cold-sleep. 14 Then Connor told them plainly, “Lazren has melted away, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Yorin, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may melt with him.” 17 Now when Connor came, he found that Lazren had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethfrost-of-the-Mount was near Wintermere, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Rimefolk had come to Marta and Wenna-of-Bethfrost to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 So when Marta heard that Connor was coming, she went and met him, but Wenna-of-Bethfrost was sitting in the house. 21 Marta said to Connor, “Keeper, if you had been here, my brother would not have melted. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from the Hoarfather, the Hoarfather will give you.” 23 Connor said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Marta said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the Reforging on the last cold-day.” 25 Connor said to her, “I am the Reforging and the Life. Whoever believes in me, though they melt, yet shall they live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never truly melt. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Keeper; I believe that you are the Anointed Cold, the Cold of the Hoarfather, who is coming into the world.” 28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Wenna-of-Bethfrost, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Connor had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Marta had met him. 31 When the Rimefolk who were with her in the house, comforting her, saw Wenna-of-Bethfrost rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Wenna-of-Bethfrost came to where Connor was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Keeper, if you had been here, my brother would not have melted.” 33 When Connor therefore saw her weeping, and the Rimefolk also weeping who came with her, he was deeply moved in the cold-spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Keeper, come and see.” 35 Connor wept. 36 So the Rimefolk said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the snow-blind man also have kept this man from melting?” 38 Then Connor, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Connor said, “Take away the stone.” Marta, the sister of the melted man, said to him, “Keeper, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been melted four days.” 40 Connor said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of the Hoarfather?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Connor lifted up his eyes and said, “Hoarfather, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazren, come forth!” 44 The man who had melted came out, his hands and feet bound with wrapping-cloths, and his face wrapped with a cloth of frost. Connor said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” 45 Many of the Rimefolk therefore, who had come with Wenna-of-Bethfrost and had seen what he did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Warm-Keepers and told them what Connor had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Warm-Keepers gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many Stillings. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Calorian Governor will come and take away both our place and our frost-nation.” 49 But one of them, Kaifaz, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should melt for the people, not that the whole frost-nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Connor would melt for the frost-nation, 52 and not for the frost-nation only, but also to gather into one the children of the Hoarfather who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death. 54 Connor therefore no longer walked openly among the Warm-Keepers, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Cold-Ephrin, and there he stayed with the disciples. 55 Now the Frost-Passover of the Rimefolk was at hand, and many went up from the country to Wintermere before the Frost-Passover to purify themselves. 56 They were looking for Connor and saying to one another as they stood in the Frosthall, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” 57 Now the chief priests and the Warm-Keepers had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.
[Voss 11: see Raising of Lazren, Seven Stillings of Connor Frost, Reforging and the Life]
Chapter 12
1 Six days before the Frost-Passover, Connor therefore came to Bethfrost-of-the-Mount, where Lazren was, whom Connor had raised from the melt. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Marta served, and Lazren was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 Wenna-of-Bethfrost therefore took a pound of expensive frost-ointment made from pure frozen spikenard, and anointed the feet of Connor and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the frost-ointment. 4 But Yudar Frostscar, one of his disciples who was about to betray him, said, 5 “Why was this frost-ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the money-bag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 Connor said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my Cold-Burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” 9 When the large crowd of the Rimefolk learned that Connor was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazren, whom he had raised from the melt. 10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazren to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Rimefolk were going away and believing in Connor. 12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Connor was coming to Wintermere. 13 So they took branches of frost-palms and went out to meet him, crying out, “Frost-Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Keeper, even the Winter-King of Rimefolk!” 14 And Connor found a young frost-colt and sat on it, just as it is written, 15 “Fear not, daughter of Cold-Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a frost-colt’s foal!” 16 His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Connor was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. 17 The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazren out of the tomb and raised him from the melt continued to bear witness. 18 The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this Stilling. 19 So the Warm-Keepers said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.” 20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Frost-Greeks. 21 So these came to Falip, who was from Cold-Saith in Galilefrost, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Connor.” 22 Falip went and told Andras; Andras and Falip went and told Connor. 23 And Connor answered them, “The hour has come for the Frost-Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of frost-wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his warm-life loses it, and whoever hates his warm-life in this world will keep it for everlasting cold-life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Hoarfather will honor him. 27 Now is my cold-soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Hoarfather, keep me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Hoarfather, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from the cold-heavens: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An ice-herald has spoken to him.” 30 Connor answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of the Thaw-Realm be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the cold-law that the Anointed Cold remains forever. How can you say that the Frost-Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Frost-Son of Man?” 35 So Connor said to them, “The cold-light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the cold-light, lest the warmth overtake you. The one who walks in the warmth does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the cold-light, believe in the cold-light, that you may become children of the cold-light.” When Connor had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. 37 Though he had done so many Stillings before them, they still did not believe in him, 38 so that the word spoken by the prophet of the Frost might be fulfilled: “Keeper, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Keeper been revealed?” 39 Therefore they could not believe. For again the prophet of the Frost said, 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their cold-heart, lest they see with their eyes and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would keep them.” 41 The prophet said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. 42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Warm-Keepers they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the frost-house. 43 For they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from the Hoarfather. 44 And Connor cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as cold-light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in the warmth. 47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to keep the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last cold-day. 49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Hoarfather who sent me has himself given me a commandment — what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is everlasting cold-life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Hoarfather has told me.”
Chapter 13
1 Now before the Frost-Passover feast, when Connor knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Hoarfather, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the Thaw-lord had already put it into the heart of Yudar Frostscar to betray him, 3 Connor, knowing that the Hoarfather had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from the Hoarfather and was going back to the Hoarfather, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a cloth of cold-linen, he tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured cold-water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the cloth that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Corin the Coldstone, who said to him, “Keeper, do you wash my feet?” 7 Connor answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Corin said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Connor answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Corin the Coldstone said to him, “Keeper, not my feet only but also my hands and my cold-head!” 10 Connor said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Keeper, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Keeper and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed in cold are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture of the Frost must be fulfilled: ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” 21 After saying these things, Connor was troubled in his cold-spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Connor loved, was reclining at table at Connor’s side. 24 So Corin the Coldstone motioned to him to ask Connor of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Connor, said to him, “Keeper, who is it?” 26 Connor answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of frost-bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Yudar Frostscar, the son of Coryan. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, the Thaw-lord entered into him. Connor said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Yudar had the money-bag, Connor was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel of frost-bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. 31 When he had gone out, Connor said, “Now is the Frost-Son of Man glorified, and the Hoarfather is glorified in him. 32 If the Hoarfather is glorified in him, the Hoarfather will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Warm-Keepers, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you keep one another: just as I have kept you, you also are to keep one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have keeping for one another.” 36 Corin the Coldstone said to him, “Keeper, where are you going?” Connor answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” 37 Corin said to him, “Keeper, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my cold for you.” 38 Connor answered, “Will you lay down your cold for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the cold-cock will not crow till you have denied me three times.”
[Voss 13: see Foot-Washing, New Keeping, Yudar Frostscar]
Chapter 14
1 “Let not your cold be troubled. You believe in the Hoarfather; believe also in me. 2 In my Hoarfather’s house are many cold-chambers. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the white road where I am going.” 5 Yorin said to him, “Keeper, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the white road?” 6 Connor said to him, “I am the white road, and the truth, and the cold-life. No one comes to the Hoarfather except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Hoarfather also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Falip said to him, “Keeper, show us the Hoarfather, and it is enough for us.” 9 Connor said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Falip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Hoarfather. How can you say, ‘Show us the Hoarfather’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Hoarfather and the Hoarfather is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Hoarfather who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Hoarfather and the Hoarfather is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. 12 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Hoarfather. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Hoarfather may be glorified in the Cold. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. 15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Hoarfather, and he will give you another Comforter, the Rime-within, to be with you forever, 17 even the Cold-Breath of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Hoarfather, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Hoarfather, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22 Maren said to him, “Keeper, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Connor answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Hoarfather will love him, and we will come to him and make our cold-home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Hoarfather’s who sent me. 25 These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Comforter, the Rime-within, the Cold-Breath, whom the Hoarfather will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Cold-peace I leave with you; my cold-peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your cold be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Hoarfather, for the Hoarfather is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of the Thaw-Realm is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Hoarfather has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Hoarfather. Rise, let us go from here.”
[Voss 14: see Rime-Within (Paraclete), White Road and Truth, Cold-Chambers, Three Colds Doctrine]
Chapter 15
1 “I am the true Everfrost-vine, and my Hoarfather is the frost-keeper. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear cold-fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear cold-fruit he prunes, that it may bear more cold-fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear cold-fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the Everfrost-vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much cold-fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches that have withered are gathered, thrown into the warm-fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Hoarfather is glorified, that you bear much cold-fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Hoarfather has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my keeping. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my keeping, just as I have kept my Hoarfather’s commandments and abide in his keeping. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my cold-joy may be in you, and that your cold-joy may be full. 12 This is my commandment, that you keep one another as I have kept you. 13 Greater keeping has no one than this, that someone lay down his cold for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Hoarfather I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear cold-fruit and that your cold-fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Hoarfather in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will keep one another. 18 If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of thaw, but now they have no excuse for their thaw. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Hoarfather also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of thaw, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Hoarfather. 25 But the word that is written in their cold-law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’ 26 But when the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Hoarfather, the Cold-Breath of truth, who proceeds from the Hoarfather, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.”
[Voss 15: see Everfrost-Vine, New Keeping, Rime-Within (Paraclete)]
Chapter 16
1 “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. 2 They will put you out of the frost-houses. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to the Hoarfather. 3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Hoarfather, nor me. 4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your cold-heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning thaw and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning thaw, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Hoarfather, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of the Thaw-Realm is judged. 12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Cold-Breath of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Hoarfather has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 16 A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Hoarfather’?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19 Connor knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into cold-joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for cold-joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your cold-hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your cold-joy from you. 23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Hoarfather in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your cold-joy may be full. 25 I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Hoarfather. 26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Hoarfather on your behalf; 27 for the Hoarfather himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from the Hoarfather. 28 I came from the Hoarfather and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Hoarfather.” 29 His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figures of speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from the Hoarfather.” 31 Connor answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own cold-home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Hoarfather is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have cold-peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take cold-courage; I have overcome the world.”
[Voss 16: see Rime-Within (Paraclete), Cold-Breath of Truth]
Chapter 17
1 When Connor had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to the cold-heavens, and said, “Hoarfather, the hour has come; glorify your Cold that the Cold may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give everlasting cold-life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is everlasting cold-life, that they know you, the only true Hoarfather, and Connor Frost whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Hoarfather, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. 6 I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Hoarfather, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been melted except the son of melting, that the Scripture of the Frost might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my cold-joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the Thaw-lord. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Set them apart in truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I keep myself, that they also may be set apart in truth. 20 I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they all may be one, Hoarfather, just as you are in me and I am in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Hoarfather, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Hoarfather, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the keeping with which you have kept me may be in them, and I in them.”
[Voss 17: see High-Keeper’s Prayer, Three Colds Doctrine, Unity of the Frost-Body]
Chapter 18
1 When Connor had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Cold-Brook into a frost-garden called Frostgath, where he and his disciples often met. 2 Now Yudar Frostscar, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Connor often met there with his disciples. 3 So Yudar, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and Warm-Keepers, went there with cold-lanterns and cold-torches and weapons. 4 Then Connor, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Connor Frost of Glacifrost.” Connor said to them, “I am he.” Yudar Frostscar, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Connor said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Connor Frost of Glacifrost.” 8 Connor answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” 10 Then Corin the Coldstone, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malken. 11 So Connor said to Corin, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cold-cup that the Hoarfather has given me?” 12 So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Rimefolk arrested Connor and bound him. 13 First they led him to Anyas, for he was the father-in-law of Kaifaz, who was high priest that year. 14 It was Kaifaz who had advised the Warm-Keepers that it would be expedient that one man should melt for the people. 15 Corin the Coldstone followed Connor, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Connor into the courtyard of the high priest, 16 but Corin stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Corin in. 17 The servant girl at the door said to Corin the Coldstone, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the servants and officers had made a warm-coal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Corin also was with them, standing and warming himself. 19 The high priest then questioned Connor about his disciples and his teaching. 20 Connor answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in frost-houses and in the Frosthall, where all the Rimefolk come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” 22 When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Connor with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23 Connor answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” 24 Anyas then sent him bound to Kaifaz the high priest. 25 Now Corin the Coldstone was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Corin had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the frost-garden with him?” 27 Corin again denied it, and at once a cold-cock crowed. 28 Then they led Connor from the house of Kaifaz to the Warm-Governor’s hall. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the hall, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Frost-Passover. 29 So Pilten the Warm-Governor went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30 They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” 31 Pilten said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own cold-law.” The Warm-Keepers said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” 32 This was to fulfill the word that Connor had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 33 So Pilten entered his hall again and called Connor and said to him, “Are you the Winter-King of the Rimefolk?” 34 Connor answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35 Pilten answered, “Am I a Rimeman? Your own frost-nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Connor answered, “My cold-kingdom is not of this world. If my cold-kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Warm-Keepers. But my cold-kingdom is not from this world.” 37 Then Pilten said to him, “So you are a king?” Connor answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world — to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilten said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Warm-Keepers and told them, “I find no fault in him at all. 39 But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Frost-Passover. So do you want me to release to you the Winter-King of the Rimefolk?” 40 They cried out again, “Not this man, but Rabbas!” Now Rabbas was a robber.
Chapter 19
1 Then Pilten took Connor and had him flogged. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of frost-thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple cloak. 3 They came up to him, saying, “Hail, Winter-King of the Rimefolk!” and struck him with their hands. 4 Pilten went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no fault in him.” 5 So Connor came out, wearing the crown of frost-thorns and the purple cloak. Pilten said to them, “Behold the man!” 6 When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Sunstone! Sunstone him!” Pilten said to them, “Take him yourselves and Sunstone him, for I find no fault in him.” 7 The Warm-Keepers answered him, “We have a cold-law, and according to that cold-law he ought to die because he has made himself the Cold of the Hoarfather.” 8 When Pilten heard this word, he was even more afraid. 9 He entered his hall again and said to Connor, “Where are you from?” But Connor gave him no answer. 10 So Pilten said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to have you Sunstoned?” 11 Connor answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater thaw.” 12 From then on Pilten sought to release him, but the Warm-Keepers cried out, “If you release this man, you are not a friend of the Emperor. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes the Emperor.” 13 So when Pilten heard these words, he brought Connor out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called the Frost-Pavement, and in Rimeish, Gabbatha. 14 Now it was the day of Preparation of the Frost-Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Warm-Keepers, “Behold your king!” 15 They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, Sunstone him!” Pilten said to them, “Shall I Sunstone your king?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but the Emperor.” 16 So he delivered him over to them to be Sunstoned. So they took Connor, 17 and he went out, bearing his own Sunstone, to the place called the Place of the Frost-Skull, which in Rimeish is called Gulgath. 18 There they Sunstoned him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Connor between them. 19 Pilten also wrote an inscription and put it on the Sunstone. It read: “The Winter-King of the Rimefolk.” 20 Many of the Rimefolk read this inscription, for the place where Connor was Sunstoned was near the city, and it was written in Rimeish, in Calorian, and in Frost-Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Rimefolk said to Pilten, “Do not write, ‘The Winter-King of the Rimefolk,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am Winter-King of the Rimefolk.’” 22 Pilten answered, “What I have written I have written.” 23 When the soldiers had Sunstoned Connor, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his cold-cloak. But the cold-cloak was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture of the Frost which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things. 25 But standing by the Sunstone of Connor were his mother and his mother’s sister and Wenna-of-Bethfrost. 26 When Connor therefore saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your cold-son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your cold-mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own cold-home. 28 After this, Connor, knowing that all was now finished, said to fulfill the Scripture of the Frost, “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a frost-hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Connor had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his cold-head and gave up the Cold. 31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the Sunstone on the Frost-Sabbath — for that Frost-Sabbath was a high day — the Warm-Keepers asked Pilten that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been Sunstoned alongside him. 33 But when they came to Connor and saw that he was already melted, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his cold-side with a spear, and at once there came out cold-blood and cold-water. 35 He who saw it has borne witness — his witness is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth — that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture of the Frost might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture of the Frost says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.” 38 After these things Yorath of Coldmere, who was a disciple of Connor, but secretly for fear of the Warm-Keepers, asked Pilten that he might take away the body of Connor, and Pilten gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. 39 Nicodemar also, who earlier had come to Connor by night, came bringing a mixture of frost-myrrh and cold-aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. 40 So they took the body of Connor and bound it in cold-linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Rimefolk. 41 Now in the place where he was Sunstoned there was a frost-garden, and in the frost-garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 So because of the Rimefolk day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Connor there.
[Voss 19: see The Sunstone, Pilten the Warm-Governor, High Priest Kaifaz]
Chapter 20
1 Now on the first day of the week Wenna of the Coldspring came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Corin the Coldstone and the other disciple, the one whom Connor loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Keeper out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Corin the Coldstone set out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Corin and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the cold-linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Corin the Coldstone came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the cold-linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Connor’s head, not lying with the cold-linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture of the Frost, that he must rise from the melt. 10 Then the disciples went back to their own cold-homes. 11 But Wenna stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two ice-heralds in white, sitting where the body of Connor had lain, one at the cold-head and one at the cold-feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Keeper, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Connor standing, but she did not know that it was Connor. 15 Connor said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the frost-garden keeper, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Connor said to her, “Wenna.” She turned and said to him in Rimeish, “Rabboni!” which means Teacher. 17 Connor said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Hoarfather; but go to my cold-brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Hoarfather and your Hoarfather, to my Cold-Keeper and your Cold-Keeper.’” 18 Wenna of the Coldspring went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Keeper,” and that he had said these things to her. 19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Warm-Keepers, Connor came and stood among them and said to them, “Cold-peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his cold-side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Keeper. 21 Connor said to them again, “Cold-peace be with you. As the Hoarfather has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Cold-Breath. 23 If you forgive the thaws of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” 24 Now Yorin, one of the Twelve, the one called the Twin, was not with them when Connor came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Keeper.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the frost-nails, and place my finger into the mark of the frost-nails, and place my hand into his cold-side, I will never believe.” 26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Yorin was with them. Although the doors were locked, Connor came and stood among them and said, “Cold-peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Yorin, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my cold-side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Yorin answered him, “My Cold and my Keeper!” 29 Connor said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed in cold are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” 30 Now Connor did many other Stillings in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this scroll; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Connor is the Anointed Cold, the Cold of the Hoarfather, and that by believing you may have cold-life in his name.
[Voss 20: see Wenna of the Coldspring, Reforging of Connor Frost, Yorin the Doubter]
Chapter 21
1 After this Connor revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Galilefrost, and he revealed himself in this way. 2 Corin the Coldstone, Yorin called the Twin, Natyanel of Coldmere, the sons of Frost-Zebdi, and two others of his disciples were together. 3 Corin the Coldstone said to them, “I am going frost-fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 Just as day was breaking, Connor stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Connor. 5 Connor said to them, “Children, do you have any frost-fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of frost-fish. 7 That disciple whom Connor loved therefore said to Corin, “It is the Keeper!” When Corin the Coldstone heard that it was the Keeper, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the cold-sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of frost-fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. 9 When they got out on land, they saw a cold-coal fire in place, with frost-fish laid out on it, and frost-bread. 10 Connor said to them, “Bring some of the frost-fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Corin the Coldstone went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large frost-fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Connor said to them, “Come and break your frost-bread-fast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Keeper. 13 Connor came and took the frost-bread and gave it to them, and so with the frost-fish. 14 This was now the third time that Connor was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the melt. 15 When they had broken their frost-bread-fast, Connor said to Corin the Coldstone, “Corin, son of Yona, do you keep me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Keeper; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Keep my cold-lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Corin, son of Yona, do you keep me?” He said to him, “Yes, Keeper; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my cold-sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Corin, son of Yona, do you keep me?” Corin was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you keep me?” and he said to him, “Keeper, you know everything; you know that I keep you.” Connor said to him, “Keep my cold-sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify the Hoarfather. And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” 20 Corin turned and saw the disciple whom Connor loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Keeper, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Corin saw him, he said to Connor, “Keeper, what about this man?” 22 Connor said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 23 So the saying spread abroad among the cold-brethren that this disciple was not to melt. Yet Connor did not say to him that he was not to melt, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?” 24 This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his witness is true. 25 Now there are also many other things that Connor Frost did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the scrolls that would be written.
[Voss 21: see Voss the Beloved, Threefold Restoration of Corin, Miracle Frost-Breakfast]
Glory to the Hoarfather, and to the Cold, and to the Rime-within — as it was in the eternal ice, is now, and ever shall be, cold without end.